Latest News
Taliban assassinations of Afghan pilots ‘worrisome,’ U.S. govt watchdog says
At least seven Afghan pilots have been assassinated off base in recent months, two senior Afghan government officials told Reuters, part of what the Islamist Taliban says is a campaign to see U.S.-trained Afghan pilots “targeted and eliminated.”
As the United States prepares to formally end its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan on Aug. 31, Taliban insurgents are quickly seizing territory once controlled by the U.S.-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani, raising fears they could eventually try to take the capital Kabul.
The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in its quarterly report to Congress covering the three-month period through June, broadly portrayed an Afghan Air Force (AAF) under growing strain from battling the Taliban amid the U.S. withdrawal – and becoming less ready to fight.
The AAF’s fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, for example, had a 39 percent readiness rate in June, about half the level of April and May. All Afghan airframes were flying at least 25 percent over their recommended scheduled-maintenance intervals, SIGAR reported.
“All aircraft platforms are overtaxed due to increased requests for close air support, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions and aerial resupply now that the (Afghan military) largely lacks U.S. air support,” it wrote.
At the same time, air crews remain over-tasked due to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and a pace of operations that “has only increased”, it said.
Taliban assassinations of Afghan pilots detailed by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-pilots-assassinated-by-taliban-us-withdraws-2021-07-09 this month mark another “worrisome development” for the Afghan Air Force as it reels from a surge in fighting, a U.S. government watchdog said in a report released on Thursday.
SIGAR also cited the Reuters report.
“Another worrisome development concerning AAF aircrew was a (Reuters) report that the Taliban is deliberately targeting Afghan pilots,” it said, before presenting the Reuters’ findings without additional comment.
Along with Afghanistan’s Special Forces, the Afghan Air Force is a pillar of the nation’s strategy for preventing a Taliban takeover of cities. But special operations forces are also being misused, SIGAR reported.
It said most Afghan National Army corps refuse to execute missions without support from its elite commandos. Citing NATO data, SIGAR said that when Afghan commandos arrive, they are misused to perform tasks intended for conventional forces, including route clearance and checkpoint security.
Still, the report cautioned that it was difficult to evaluate what constituted military misuse of the elite forces when the Afghan government “is fighting for its existence”.
The 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Gambia on Sunday called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to respect Afghan girls and women’s right to education and work.
In a declaration, OIC described the right to education and work as the fundamental rights of Afghan girls and women, and called for more communication with the IEA authorities on these issues.
Additionally, the participants emphasized the need for more efforts to address the challenges related to ethnic groups, drugs, terrorism, and social issues to ensure inclusive governance and sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“We also emphasize the need to make more efforts to address the challenges associated with ethnic groups, terrorism, drugs and social aspects for inclusive governance to achieve sustainable stability,” the declaration said.
Delegations from the 57 OIC member states attended the conference, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation under the theme “Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development.”.
The summit was also attended by an IEA delegation.
The Permanent Representative of Afghanistan in Geneva Nasir Ahmad Andisha says the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has approved the national human rights report on Afghanistan.
Ahmad Andisha said at the Geneva meeting that after comprehensive reviews, 243 recommendations from 70 countries show the worsening of the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
In the review of the human rights situation in Afghanistan in the fourth period, 243 opinions were received from 70 countries, who expressed concern about the worsening human rights situation and suggested that an impartial and independent investigation be conducted on human rights violations in Afghanistan.
However, the Islamic Emirate has always considered human rights as an internal issue and emphasized that human rights, especially women’s rights, are more secure in the country than ever before.
“The Islamic and Sharia rights of all Afghan citizens are guaranteed. The Islamic Emirate is committed to ensuring the rights of its citizens,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, IEA’s deputy spokesman.
Russian ambassador in Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, on Sunday invited the political deputy prime minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir to participate in an international meeting that is expected to be held in Kazan city, Tatarstan.
According to a statement issued by the deputy PM’s office, in his meeting with the Russian ambassador, Kabir thanked him for the invitation to this meeting and said that relations between Russia and Afghanistan are important and friendly and Russian businessmen should invest in Afghanistan.
He added that relations between Moscow and Kabul benefit both sides and can help development and stability in the region.
According to the statement, the Russian envoy said that his country is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in various fields and wants to expand bilateral relations.
He added that cooperation and increased interaction between the Islamic Emirate and Russia can contribute to stability and economic development in the region.
OIC summit urges IEA to respect girls’ right to education
UNHRC approves national human rights report on Afghanistan
Israeli authorities raid Al Jazeera after shutdown order
Tahawol: Participation of IEA delegation in OIC meeting discussed
Saar: UNHRC approves Afghanistan’s national human rights report
Indian foreign ministry advises against travel to Iran, Israel
Commerce ministry inks 10 MoUs to boost development of small and medium-sized businesses
ATN seals agreement to broadcast 3rd season of Afghanistan Champions League
Rashid Khan threatens BBL pullout after Australia postpones Afghanistan T20I series
Biden says Netanyahu’s approach to war in Gaza is a ‘mistake’
Tahawol: Participation of IEA delegation in OIC meeting discussed
Saar: UNHRC approves Afghanistan’s national human rights report
Tahawol: Concerns over possible threats against US interests
Saar: Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation discussed
Special report on Kabul’s Murad Khani area
-
Sport5 days agoNew Zealand to go ahead with Afghanistan cricket Test
-
Latest News5 days agoWorld Bank donates $84 million to Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days agoWork permits issued to over 2,000, including women: Labor Ministry
-
Sport5 days agoAll-round Stoinis helps Lucknow beat Mumbai in IPL
-
Sport4 days agoSorkh Poshan Khafi and Khadim FC winners in their ACL matches
-
Latest News4 days agoUNAMA issues latest rights report, notes ongoing challenges for women, girls and media
-
World3 days agoWhy Palestinians can count on American students but not Arab allies to protest
-
Sport3 days agoAbu Muslim and Attack Energy win in ACL matches